*** AVAILABLE ON FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS ONLY *** Gorgeous Rika is a sweet treasure who is going to make you work and be patient in order to get the wonderful reward of her trust, loyalty and love. She is looking for a family who understand that sometimes it takes a while for a dog who has pulled into herself to come out of her shell and who will lead a fairly calm, consistent life. She's also a dog who would do best in a home with no children because she is afraid of loud noises and sudden movements. In new situations and when meeting new people she pulls inward, sitting very still and absorbing all the new surroundings, honestly not giving you much to go on- this girl requires a bit of faith, friends. However, for a person or a calm family who understands dogs like her the way her foster family has, she starts to show her cute playful side slowly over a couple of weeks as she begins to feel safe. Rika doesn't have a mean bone in her body, never snapping or growling, but she will go hide when she's uncertain. She is more quick to trust women than men, though a little offer of high value treats like chicken seems to reassure her, and the presence of her host dog who loves the man of the house and has no fear of him has definitely helped her realize that this big, gentle human man is probably ok. Once Rika starts to feel safe, she absolutely steals your heart with her little steps that show she's starting to trust you, such as when you walk in the room where she's hanging out and she rolls on her back to request you rub her belly, or lifts her front leg up to invite you to scratch her chest. Next comes an adorable bouncy, dancing little prance when you appear and start talking to her, like she wants to engage you and play but she's not quite sure how to do that! At some point you have the milestone where you've been hanging out on the sofa with the dogs and she forgets completely that she has anything concerning her, and suddenly moves from the corner to sit right next to you, all snuggled up. In recent days in her foster home (after over a month) Rika is accepting hugs, scratches and snuggles and seems to finally be truly enjoying them!